


Love Equation

by orphan_account



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-16
Updated: 2014-01-16
Packaged: 2018-02-24 16:41:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2588738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“It’s not Haru I mind. It’s you, Makoto. The way you factor him into your life as a constant, when I’m a variable.” Rin stepped closer, taking the end of Makoto’s jacket in both of his hands. “Pick me. Choose me. Love me.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love Equation

   “I don’t see why you’re putting so much thought into it,” Haru said after a spell of silence. “It’s just university.”

   “’ _Just_ ’? Haru, I’ve been dreaming about going since forever, you know that. But…” Makoto trailed off, too embarrassed to say the rest.  _But I don’t want to leave you_ , is what he meant. Haru either didn’t pick up on that or pretended he didn’t, because he went back to reading a book Rei lent him on swimming theory. “What about Rin? Did he tell you what his plans were?”

  “No idea.” Makoto sighed. It was a very Haru-like answer, to seem disinterested. But then Makoto saw blue eyes flick to him and seem to say,  _If you find out, tell me_.

Makoto could have just called Rin to ask, but his fingers hesitated. He didn’t want to upset the delicate balance that the three of them had finally achieved. Ren and Ran weren’t going to be children forever, but still, it’d be nice to be close enough to watch them grow up. At least, that’s what Makoto thought. But he’d already picked up brochures from the local university, and none of the programs sounded interesting enough.

Though Haru was the one in his room, Makoto’s mind strayed back to Rin. Would he go back to Australia? Or maybe apply to another school far away? Makoto couldn’t tell if those anxious thoughts belonged to him or to Haru. Maybe it was both of them. Normally, Haru would get impatient by now and say, “Why are you taking so long? Just hurry up and decide.” But Haru knew that there was a lot at stake here for Makoto.

  “Do you have a major?” Haru asked.

  “Um, Education? I was also thinking pre-med, but there’s a lot of math and science involved. I’m not confident about that…” Haru gave Makoto a look that seemed to say,  _how very like you_. “Haru, you don’t look surprised at all.”

  “Of course not. You’re responsible and good with kids. It only makes sense.”

  "Haha, is that so?”

Makoto’s mind returned to Rin. Would he have been as unsurprised as Haru was? Maybe he talked about this with his sister. But texting Kou would be a bit weird, wouldn’t it? Haru sighed loudly and picked Makoto’s phone off the table and scrolled through contacts before hitting ‘call’. “H-Haru?! What are you doing?” Makoto asked, panicking. He reached across the table to try and snatch the phone away, but Haru dodged the attempt.

  “…What is it?” a cautious voice on the other line said.

  “Rin, Makoto has something he wants to talk to you about. He’s been looking at his phone the whole time he’s been here. It’s annoying.”

  “It’s so like you to do something like this,” Rin sighed. “All right, hand the phone over.” Haru handed the phone to Makoto and then left the room. Makoto suddenly felt very embarrassed.

  “Um, I didn’t realize I was being that obvious…”

   “You’re the opposite of Haru. Nobody can tell what he’s thinking, but everyone can tell what you’re thinking, Makoto. You’re like an open book. That’s why it’s so easy for people to take advantage of you. For fuck’s sake, learn how to lie better!”

   “You know I can’t do that, Rin.”

   “…Yeah. So what did you want to talk about?”

  “I think it’d be better to talk in person. But I’ll bet you’re bu-”

  “I’m not. I’ll meet you in five minutes.” And then Rin hung up.

_Am I really so transparent_? Makoto wondered. Could Rin really tell how anxious Makoto was feeling right now? He tried to push the thoughts out of his head as he told his parents that he was going out. He was going to ask if Haru had gone home when the dark-haired boy poked his head out from Ren and Ran’s room.

  “Are you going to meet him?” Makoto nodded, and Haru disappeared. The eldest Tachibana could hear Haru telling the younger ones that he had to leave and them whining at him to stay. He poked his head in.

   "Ren, Ran, it’s time for bed,” he said sternly.

  “Will Haru-chan come back tomorrow?” Ren asked.

  “Yeah, will he?” Ran echoed. Makoto shot a dubious glance at his best friend.

   “Of course,” Haru replied.

  “Yay!”

Once the two boys were outside, Haru turned to Makoto.

  “I don’t care where you and Rin go, just as long as you let me come, too. It’d be too troublesome to be left behind.” And without another word, he left. Makoto couldn’t help but laugh.  _Too troublesome, huh_? He supposed that at this point, it was impossible for the two of them to be apart for too long. He heard the footfalls of someone behind him before he saw the face. Makoto didn’t say anything as Rin slowed, rubbing his gloved hands together and blowing on them.

  “Make it quick, Makoto. I’m fuckin’ freezing!” Makoto couldn’t help but laugh. And even though Rin was glaring, Makoto saw the tiniest smile tugging at the corners of the redhead’s mouth.

  “I’ve been stressing about college,” Makoto admitted. “I’m thinking of going into education, but none of the programs at the university here sound appealing to me. But my family is here…”

  “So, what, you want me to be the tie breaker?” Rin asked.

The two were silent for a moment. Then: “What about Kyoto? It’s only an hour away. Have you looked into anything there?”

   “Not really, no.”

   “What did Haru say?”

  “He said that he doesn’t care where either of us go as long as we let him tag along,” Makoto laughed.

  “Tch. Figures.” Makoto’s eyebrows knitted together when he heard the displeasure in Rin’s voice.

  “Do you not want Haru to follow you? He’s just making up for lost time, you know. We’re his best friends.”

  "It’s not Haru I mind. It’s  _you_ , Makoto. The way you factor him into your life as a constant, when I’m a variable.” Rin stepped closer, taking the end of Makoto’s jacket in both of his hands. “Pick me. Choose me.  _Love_ me.” The last part was said in a near whisper.

Makoto was stunned into silence for a moment, and then a smile bloomed across his face and a laugh escaped his lips. It was a warm sound, despire their cold surroundings.

  “Would you like to be?” Makoto asked. Rin, who had looked at his feet after saying something so embarrassing, looked up again now.

   “What?’

   “You’re right. I was stressed because I didn't know if you’d be a constant in my life. I’m asking you now, Rin: would you like to be?”

  “Yes, but I don’t want to be the same as Haru. I want to be more.” Makoto smiled as he imagined how far Rin’s blush reached. Did it go all the way down to his neck? There was a scarf in the way, so he really couldn’t tell. The taller boy nearly forgot that they were in public as he reached for Rin.

  “Why does it always have to be a competition with you two? Of course it won’t be the same,” Makoto insisted. And then he threw the last shred of hesitation to the wind and kissed Rin. The redhead was surprised at first, but then drew himself up and into Makoto. They were breathless when their lips finally parted. “That’s something I only want to do with you, Rin.” There were a lot of things that he wanted to do with Rin, Makoto discovered. “Let’s go somewhere warmer.” He began to walk away, but felt Rin’s hand slip into his.

  “I’m plenty warm already,” he muttered. The happiness Makoto felt was like summer on his face, and Rin was not prepared for that brightness. More concerning, however, was the fact that Makoto  _still_  hadn’t ascertained Rin’s future plans. But he felt calmer now, knowing that he was part of them.


End file.
